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Teacher Induction Program

Are You a New Science Teacher?

The Exploratorium Teacher Institute invites novice middle- and high-school science teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area to join an innovative, exciting, inquiry-based, and content-rich professional-development program specifically designed to support you in your science classroom. Since 1984, the Teacher Institute has provided thousands of secondary science and math teachers professional development in the forms of Summer Institutes, Saturday Content Workshops, conferences, and other teaching and learning programs. In 1998, we created our Teacher Induction Program to support those newest to our favorite career: teaching science. Our Teacher Induction Program has supported more than 400 novice science teachers in their first few years in the classroom. Most of these teachers have chosen to stay in this field, and many of them are now leaders in their schools and districts. Read the research brief and the Exploratorium Teacher Induction Program: Results and Retention Program report that describes the results of a survey of our graduates.

Please consider applying and joining the ranks of thousands of Exploratorium Teacher Institute alumni!

Key Benefits of the Two-Year Teacher Induction Program

  • Participate in Saturday workshops and Summer Institutes led by Exploratorium staff scientists and educators
  • Use the museum’s teacher resources
  • Meet regularly with a small support group consisting of other beginning teachers and experienced science teacher-mentors
  • Get assistance in your classroom from experienced teacher-coaches
  • Receive generous stipends 
  • Obtain continuation credit for a low fee
  • Earn automatic admission into the Summer Institute

Program Requirements

  • To apply, you must have two years or less formal teaching experience in a science classroom (student teaching does not count).
  • You must attend our one-day Saturday Orientation Meeting each August for the two years of your program.
  • You must attend two Saturday Content Workshops that you select from a menu of options each semester.
  • You must attend two specially designed Science Pedagogy Workshops each semester.
  • You must attend one three-week Summer Institute held at the Exploratorium.
  • You must attend two mentor support-group meetings per semester.
  • You must work with experienced Exploratorium teacher-coaches through classroom observation and feedback meetings (two meetings per semester) and planning meetings (one per semester).

Are you interested in being a coach or a mentor to new teachers? You can find more information here.

The Teacher Institute is committed to building and supporting a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community. Educators of color and educators working in public schools, especially Title I schools, are encouraged to apply.